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Robert Burchfield

Roy Plomley's castaway is Oxford English Dictionary Chief Editor Robert Burchfield.

Robert Burchfield, who has been Chief Editor of the Oxford English Dictionary since 1957, was born in New Zealand. After fighting in Italy during the war, he came to England to complete his education and stayed on to be a lecturer at Oxford University. In conversation with Roy Plomley, he talks about his career and discusses the many problems associated with compiling dictionaries.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

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40 minutes

Last on

Fri 26 Apr 198509:05
BBC Radio 4

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Music Played

  • Royal Scottish National Orchestra

    Skye Boat Song

    • Great Scottish Songs.

  • The St Joseph's Maori Girls Choir

    Pokarekare Ana

    • The Beauty of Maori Songs.

  • Giacomo Puccini

    E Lucevan Le Stelle (from Tosca)

    Soloist: Gigli Orchestra: Rome Opera House Orchestra Conductor: Oliviero de Fabritiis

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Franz Schubert

      Die Forelle (The Trout), D550

      Soloist: Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Karl Judez

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Serenade No. 13 in G major 'Eine kleine Nachtmusik'

    Orchestra: The Academy of St Martin in the Fields Conductor: Neville Marriner

  • Giacomo Puccini

    Tre sbirri (Te Deum) (from Tosca)

    Choir: The Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford Conductor: Bernard Rose

  • Gay/Weinberger

    The Beggar's Opera No 17

    Soloist: Elsie Morison, John Cameron Orchestra: Pro Arte Orchestra Conductor: Sir Malcolm Sargent

  • George Frideric Handel

    Let the bright Seraphim (from Samson)

    Soloist: Kiri Te Kanawa Orchestra: English Chamber Orchestra Conductor: Barry Rose

  • Book Choice

    • Republic - Plato

  • Luxury Choice

    • Manuscript of The Orrmulum (Junius 1) from the Bodleian Library

Credits

PresenterRoy Plomley
Interviewed GuestRobert Burchfield

Broadcasts

  • Sat 20 Apr 198518:25
    BBC Radio 4
  • Fri 26 Apr 198509:05
    BBC Radio 4

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